Anyone who’s in any doubt over how fashionable it is to be associated with horticulture just needs to take a stroll around the Chelsea Flower Show.
Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, Jerry Hall, Jamie Oliver, Rob Brydon, Ben Fogle, Kirstie Allsopp, Ringo Starr, Emilia Fox, Michael Vaughan and Anneke Rice were just some of the recognisable faces seen wandering among the country’s finest ornamental exhibits this week.
I find it hard to believe that they were all there purely for their undying love for flowers, even if that was a part of it. No, Chelsea has become a place to be seen, an unreservedly positive event to be associated with and something that thoroughly captures the imagination of the public and press.
Isn’t it time we created something similar for fruit and vegetables, a national showcase where public and celebrities flock to see the wonderful variety and versatility of the nation’s fresh produce?
There are plenty of trade shows, as well as public events like the BBC Good Food Show. But we should aim even higher than that: let’s create a national showcase so impressive that even the most disinterested punter will sit up and take notice. There’s so much to shout about, so let’s shout about it.
